Dark Beginnings
by RedNightmare7
Summary: Rann Keenedge finds the only Paladin he didn’t want to find. SLIGHT SPOILER from the WC3 human campaign.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Warcraft (I wish!) or any of its characters, I just borrowed them without asking :D

**Chapter 1: Dark Beginnings**

Rann walked through the dark, moonlit forest without any fear. He knew they where watching him, stalking him, but so far they had not harmed him and he was not looking for a fight. He knew however that they were. They were just waiting for more of them to arrive. He didn't want them to overwhelm him but he didn't want to charge at them blindly either. His brain was working overtime. How could he get out of this trouble? He could go back and hope they would not follow him. No, that wouldn't work, they would never let him leave alive and he had gotten this far, so he wasn't going to give up so easily. Maybe he could hide and turn the tables around? No, a paladin was expected to be an honest combatant, even against these monstrosities! He would not break his code.  
Then it hit him. It was so simple that he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier. He started to walk faster. He could sense them doing the same. He started to go over in a hustle. They did to. He then started running. They followed his example, but this time they were gaining on him. His armour was wearing him down and they didn't have that problem. He could hear them coming from al sides, there hissing voices getting louder. His right hand slowly went to his sword and his left grab the chain of his prayer book. He had them right were he wanted them, he thought with a grin.

In a flash he turned around while pulling his sword. In a single swipe he cleave to two ghouls, who were jumping towards him, in half. There top and bottom halves landed on the ground behind Rann. The other ghouls were now showing themselves. Some were looking at him from among the treebranches; others were slowly creeping towards him over the grass. He opened his book and prayed to The Light for its blessing. A light shone from him and he could feel The Light surging through his body and sword. The sight of the white light startled the ghouls for a moment, but they regained their vigour quickly and assaulted him. Rann closed his book and held it firmly in his hand. He leaped forward and slashed a ghoul's head in two. He then immediately slashed away another ghoul that was clawing at him. He turned around to late to stop two ghouls from crashing into him and throwing him on his back. Their claws bounced of his armour. Thank The Light he had kept it on during his travelling, even though it had bogged him down on the journey. He kicked the undead away with his boots and heightened his sword just in time to catch another one with its tip. The sword went right through it and it stopped moving. Rann jumped to his feet and made a quick spin with his sword, throwing the ghoul of his sword in the process. Some ghouls were killed by the blade, others simple jumped back to get out of reach of it. Rann did not mind, this gave him the second he needed. He opened his book again and called out another prayer. The ghouls jumped towards him ones again, but ones the last word left Rann's lips, a bright light blasted out from him, sending all ghouls flying of into the darkness.

It was over, he thought. But then he heard a screeching sound for above the trees. These weren't ghouls, this was worse. It was what he had feared would happen. He had been to late with his plan. He couldn't possible hope to stand against the masses that were coming. He looked up to see 3 gargoyles flying overhead. They circled him for a moment, then came towards him in a speeding dive. He opened his book ones again and asked The Light to help him. One of the gargoyles was struck by a bright light from the sky and disintegrated in white flames. He let go of his book and grabbed onto his sword with both hands. At the very last moment he lashed out with the blade and killed the two Gargoyles in one great swoop.

Other paladin always frowned upon him for using a sword instead of a war hammer. This was the reason he had never bothered the odd looks. His sword allowed him to fight two were others could fight only one.

A drop of sweat rolled over Rann his forehead. He was tired from fighting these monsters, but he could not stop now, because more where coming. He looked up, but could not see any more gargoyles. He listened but couldn't hear screeching anymore. What was going on here? The undead where hunting the paladins vigorously. He had expected to see a sky full of gargoyles, but instead he saw only the stars and the moon.  
Suddenly he heard an ice cold voice behind him "I'm impressed. So young and yet so gifted in The Light." Rann turned around in a flash.

A dark figure was standing about 5 meters across from him. On each side stood an ogre, or so he thought at first glace. When he looked closer he could see these where not ogre's, but creatures stitched together from different parts of different creatures. They were know among the Paladins as "Hulks", thought their real names were Abominations.  
"I would have expected the ghouls to have killed, you youngling. But you handled them like a full fledged paladin. As I said before, I'm impressed." The man dropped his hood and Rann could now see his face. He trembled for a moment when he saw how it was. Arthus the Death knight commander was starring him right in the face!  
This explained the empty skies. Why would they need overwhelming numbers when they had The Traitor to deal with him? He could not possible hope to win a fight against a Death knight, not with his limited experience. But he had to. Running would not be an option. Death knights always had their horse with them. Although Rann did not see a horse, he knew it had to be close. He had to fight for his life.

He set aside his fears and tightened the grip on his sword, holding his prayer book in his other hand, ready to open it.

"Well, if I'm that strong, then why are you not running?" said Rann, not wanting Arthus to see his fear. "Brave words from a frightened man" Arthus replied. "Gentlemen, would you please dispose of this nuisance?" he continued to the hulks.  
"Yes, Master" one of the monsters replied in a twisted voice. Arthus did two steps back and his guards charged Rann with inhuman speed.

He was just in time to block one of their hooks but the second pierced his shoulder and cause a long wound. He was throw to the ground and his book was launched out of his hand. Though the chain kept it from flying to far, it was now outside of Rann his reach. One of the hulks stood before him and raised his axe to finish Rann off. Rann slashed at exactly the right time to chop off the hand holding the axe. The creature let out a cry and flinched, stepping backwards a little. Rann pulled on the chain of his book and threw it open. He asked The Light for the most powerful gift he could think of. Suddenly the butcher knife of the other hulk crashed towards his skull. Luckily it stopped an inch from Rann's face. He could not believe it; he had just called for a divine shield and he had gotten it. He would not have expected to be strong enough to do that.

He reached out to his blooded shoulder and touched it briefly. It burned painfully. He sat upright and opened his tome, letting the pages stop at the right moment. He laid his hand on his shoulder again and closed his eyes. He could hear the hulk trying to chop off his head, but he ignored it. The shield would protect him for now. He concentrated on the wound and could feel the aching pain leave his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see that the wound was gone.

Next, he stood up (the hulk was still fruitlessly beating in on his head) and stuck his sword right through the monsters head. Its body fell lifelessly to the grass.  
The light surrounding him suddenly faded and he knew he was on his own again. The second hulk had regained his courage and was now charging towards Rann. Rann jumped to the side and dodge the beast's attack. He then made a clean cut over the monsters back. It let out yet another scream and fell down on its hands and knees. Rann finished it of with a prayer for a holy light. The beast, just like the first gargoyle perished away in a bright, white fire.

Rann turned his face back towards where Arthus had stood. He was gone. Rann smiled. Seeing such a dedicated paladin must have caused him to flee, he thought  
Rann had set just two steps before an ice-cold blade slammed against his breastplate from the front, sending him smashing against a nearby tree.

His armour was cracked and blood was dripping through the gap in the metal. He looked up to see the Death knight staring in his face. "You paladins are all alike. Strong, yet so naive. You never harness your true potential. You think your codes make you great? Ha, it only limits you in your abilities, as you have just seen. I was ones like you, but am your superior now." Arthus his stare suddenly went from hateful to friendly. "But what if I would offer you the same? The power to vanquish your foes without fail? What would be your answer?" Rann looked up to him, holding his hand against his painful chest. "Go to Hell!" he snared in a weak voice. "Not in a million years, if I can help it." Arthus said with a dark grin. He then held up his sword with the tip pointing towards Rann's skull. Rann his last thoughts were those of peace and he knew he was going towards The Light. The next moment everything went dark for him.


End file.
